Part 28 (1/2)
”But--where then?” I asked, thoroughlyto take hi to shoot him dead--there, at the place where he has asped
”Great heavens, Beryl! you are never going to do anything so ht hi into Kafir ”My eyes are on you, although I' The bullet, too, is just as ready”
To say that I was thunderstruck is to put itand desperate scheme, the arrest of the chief in the very thick of his own followers, I had never bargained for this The idea was that by seizing hi him to justice and thus prevent his escape, for if his said arrest were atteive him up They would resist any attempt to take him by force, as sure as such atte on a war, but not condign punishment upon Kuliso I was filled with admiration for the promptitude and resolution hich she had forced hi to his swift and certain doom had never entered e, jury and executioner, least of all No, assuredly I had never bargained for this
”Think better of it,” I urged ”Think better of it, and let us carry out our original plan and take hiinal plan,” she answered, in the same low, monotonous tone ”Besides, to use your oords, we should never get hiive us the slip long before No My original plan is the one I aht Keep straight on”
”Beryl, you cannot do this thing yourself,” I urged earnestly ”We will e to keep possession of hiet him, in that case The Governo, for fear of bringing on a war Kenrick, you stood beside me e found _theotten?”
”Forgotten? It would take et that Still, for your own sake do not do this I believe you yourself will regret it afterwards And then the law may call it murder What then?”
”There isn't a jury in the land that would convict me,” she said ”They would call it an act of justice And it will be I have thought it all out, you see”
What was I to answer? She was very likely right in her surmise I remembered Brian's words, uttered the day after my arrival here--words to that very effect
”Even then it ear an ugly look,” I persisted ”We bring this man a considerable distance across country--the two of us--then shoot him in cold blood”
”Has your blood cooled then, Kenrick?” she said ”Mine hasn't, nor will it, until I see thisdead beside those he has killed”
”Understand, I a for his life,” I went on, ”only that you should not be his executioner Besides, what if he is the wrongthe truth after all when he says he knows nothing about it?”
”A chief is responsible for the acts of his followers, even under their o And he was not speaking the truth; he was lying I know these people better than you do, Kenrick If he knew nothing of--of--what has happened, do you think I could have frightened hi with us?
Not for a ed it, if he did not actually instigate it He is the principal murderer; afterwards I shall find out the others”
”I rong in so what next to urge ”I told you I had thought theThere was one side of it that escapedat a possible straw
”Yourself”
”Me?”
”Yes I don't want you to suffer for this in any way You have helped o--and leave the rest to me You are not supposed to knohat I am about to do; and I'll take care it shall never leak out that you did Go back to the house and wait for me”
”That's so likely, isn't it?” I answered ”Of course, under any circumstances I'd be sure to slink off and leave you in the ht, surrounded by Kuliso's cut-throats, watching an opportunity to revenge the death of their chief That would be me all over, wouldn't it?”
”If only I could see some way out of it--for you! Letfurther to be said Whatever this is we are in it together”
It ilance over her captive was relaxed for one single moined that ere going to have things all our oay, and that Kuliso's people had tamely left their chief to his fate
We could not see the us under observation the whole way neither of us had a shadow of a doubt But while keeping a sharp look-out, I was able to turn over the situation in my mind If only Brian had been here As it ould he not hold me responsible for Beryl's action, and any disastrous consequences which ht ensue?